Energy-resolved X-ray imaging

An investigation method of spatial distribution of separate chemical elements, contained in samples complex chemical composition, using an X-ray CCD-camera is considered. The camera records a fluorescence of the chemical elements of the sample, excited by a radiation of a static X-ray tube. An image is built at a CCD matrix with a pinhole camera. The CCD-camera operates in a regime of a multi-frame spectral recording of separate photons, in which it is possible to identify both the energy of the incident quanta, and the coordinate of the point of incidence in each frame. Analysis of the formed data array makes it possible to obtain the spatial distribution of the elements, contained in the sample discretely on Z (atomic number). Investigation results of the CCD-camera characteristics, algorithms of the computer software of the data processing, and examples of the obtained images are presented in the paper. It is shown that using this method it is possible to get distribution patterns of the chemical elements in the multi-component samples with the spatial distribution up to ≈ 15–20 μm.